Since Last I Saw You
by jeswashere
Summary: Violet Hopps needs help. Now that's not something she particularly likes to admit, much less so when it has something to do with her sister, Judy. As they confront each other, problems arise. Problems Judy didn't even know existed. And while Violet learns how to talk about her feelings with mammals other than her fox best friend, Josh Grey, a dangerous new criminal is on the loose.
1. Chapter 1

**Violet Hopps**

 **Bunnyburrow**

 **17 years ago**

 _"_ _I'm a fox, a predator, I will never be afraid of you, ya' dumb carrot farmer, now come out behind that bush and show yourself!"_

 _Step, step, twitch, russell, russell_

 _"_ _I don't care what you are, Gideon,"_

 _"_ _You hurt my sister, and when you mess with Judes, you mess with me."_

 _"_ _What you gonna do about it?"_

 _Twitch, twitch_

 _"_ _Apologize!"_

 _"_ _Make me. You're just like your twin, too dumb, to know when to quit. It's in my dena to eat you, ya' know."_

 _Twitch, twitch_

 _"_ _Hehe, DNA actually, and yes I'm aware… I just don't care."_

 _"_ _That was a mistake, you should've stayed on the farm. You saw what I did to your sister, loser. Now I'm gonna, I'm gonna do the same to you and it's, it's gonna hurt. Alot more than a scratch."_

 _Twitch, twitch twitch twitch._

 _"_ _Run, Violet, Run!"_

 _I'm scared. I'm brave. Be strong. Be brave. I'm scared. Be strong. Be brave. Be Judes. Be Judy. You're her only twin, for gosh sakes. What would Judy do? Judy. Judy. I want my sister._

 _Judy._

 _Lunge._

 _Snap._

 _Claws, claws, he has claws._

 _"_ _You dumb, Hopps bunnies. To scared to move, huh? Look at her little nose twitch, she is scared!"_

 _My Judes, my Judes would kick him. I would kick him._

 _Thump!_

 _The fox growled._

 _He got back up. Sweet Cheese and Crackers, he got back up. Instinct. Instinct, that's it. Let instinct take over._

 _Run._

 _yell out your name. They are laughing at you. They are chasing you. Run as fast as you can and don't look back. Stay in the shadows. Hide. They will kill you if you don't. Move like lightning. Be quick, in all senses of the word. They can_ _ **smell**_ _your fear. They can_ _ **see**_ _you panic. They are imagining the_ _ **taste**_ _of your blood. They can_ _ **hear**_ _you panting and your screams. Simple solution._ _ **Don't**_ _. Move like lightning. Be quick. Hide. They can't kill what they can't_ _ **feel.**_ _They can't_ _ **kill**_ _what they can't see._

 ** _They can't kill, what the can't see._**

 _Well, don't let them see you, then._

 _…_ _.._

 **Joshua Grey**

 **Bunnyburrow**

 **Also, 17 years ago**

" _Dad, please...just calm down.." Gideon soothed._

 _Gideon turned to his panicked brother, "Joshey..run."_

 _"_ _Why.." the kit questioned._

 _"_ _Just do it!" Gideon yelled, all the while holding his paw out to hopefully slow the angry, and drunk, red fox father. "Just come with me..please." Josh pleaded._

 _"_ _No, mom would've wanted me to stay. You know that, little brother."_

 _"_ _But-"_

 _"_ _Go."_

 _So, the pup ran out of the house and he ran, and he ran. He cried as he sprinted across the grass covered ground of Bunnyburrow, his tears blowing in the wind, past his mother's grave in the yard, he hardly noticed the small, laughing bunny run in front of him, that is until he ran right into her._

 _"_ _Fox!" the bunnies around her yelled, the collision caused a ball of silver and red to roll across the ground, as the rabbits surrounding_

 _the two kits screamed and fled the scene. Josh's ears went back, knowing what was to come. This lapine child was going to run at full speed in the other direction just like all the other animals he had met in his short nine year life, so far. But, instead she simply stared at him, holding her ankle. "I'm so sorry!" he said quickly, fearing a kick to the face, "Ouchies." was her only response, her eyes began to water. "Oh! Um, um, please don't cry." he looked around, "Uh, where's your mommy, I can help, I can help you." he began to panic again, but blinked, the bunny was already silently hopping away on one foot, he shook his head and ran after her, "Where are you going?" he asked, "Home." she replied, "Your ankle ain't lookin' so good." Josh pointed out, "You can't make it all the way home by yourself, can you?" he asked, "Maybe not, but I can try." she had a determined look on her face._

 _He gasped._

 _"_ _What's wrong?" she questioned._

 _"_ _Oh, nothing. Just...what happened to your ear?"_

 _She looked around, "What's' your name?"_

 _"_ _Josh."_

 _"_ _Can I trust you?"_

 _"_ _Yeah. I pinky swear, on my favorite blueberry pie. My momma said I'm a nice fox,"_

 _"_ _I believe you, my names' Violetta, but you can call me Violet. And to answer ya' question, a mean bully scratched me earlier."_

 _"_ _What was his name?"_

 _"_ _Gideon."_

Present times

 **ZBI Headquarters**

"Hopps, Grey, new case."

"There always is." Violet said proudly.

"A new string of murders, all of them being prey." the director of the ZFBI, Director Elizabeth Bogo, hesitated before continuing, "Each of the victims, have also been part of the lagomorph family."

Violet blinked once "What else, because with all due respect, I can tell there is something you aren't telling me, here."

The cape buffalo sighed "Violet Hopps, you will be the death of me...you and Grey, my top agents, will be working with my brother's top officers, down at the ZPD. Precinct 1, to be precise." Bogo sighed again. "Hopps, you are going to have to work with your twin sister, the other "Hopps", okay."

To Josh and Bogo's surprise, Violet took the news very well. _On the outside._ She looked to the side at Joshua _._ Her smile didn't reach her eyes. Inside those purple orbs were the words "we need to talk, like, now." He got the message, and grabbed her small paw in his own, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

"We'll drive over there in 15, mam."

Bogo nodded, and Josh led Violet to their office, down the hall. Josh plopped down in the oversized chair at his desk, and as usual, when she was stressed, Violet crawled up on his lap, and buried her face in his chest.

"Joshy, what am I gonna do?"

"Sneaker, you gotta do this, just face her, it's okay."

Josh stroked Violet's drooping ears, one of which, you could just perfectly make out three claw marks, his own brother's claw marks, in fact. He shook the memory out of his mind and continued soothing the bunny.

"Listen, I know she misses you. I mean, come on you haven't seen anyone in your family for two years! She loves you, it'll be fine."

Violet sighed "Okay." then with a little more determination in her voice than before she stated,

"Okay, let's get going, then."

Violet and Josh walked out of the building side by side. Out into the parking lot, where they both hopped into the cruiser, that looked like a normal car. First, they stopped by Josh's apartment, he came out wearing, a red plaid shirt, a plain white tee underneath, with blue jeans, under his plaid he wore his badge. When he came back in the car, Violet just stared at him.

"Vi, I know I look great, but you can drive now."

Violet's ears turned bright red she turned on the car, mumbling a quick "Sorry." before pushing on the gas pedal, eyes focused on the road.

"Don't worry 'bout it, even I can't resist my dashingly good looks." he grinned.

"Shut up, Josh." she tried her best not to smile but failed.

Josh chuckled lightly, "There, there…"

To Josh's delight that earned a giggle out of Violet, she reached over and gave him a swift punch in the arm.

"Were here! I'll be right back okay."

Violet quickly hopped off into her apartment, leaving Josh by himself in the car. After about six minutes, she returned wearing a denim jacket with a grey hood and sleeves, with a lavender shirt, black leggings and holding two pairs of aviator sunglasses in her paws, on smaller than the other. She sat back in the front seat, again, and handed Josh the bigger pair of sunglasses, while putting on her own rabbit-sized sunglasses.

"Bottoms up, don't want anyone outside of ZPD headquarters recognizing us."

"As you wish,"

Josh put on his sunglasses, before turning to Violet once again.

"We look good, Vi, we look very good," he commented.

They both laughed, and seconds later they were at Precinct 1.

"Here goes nothing," Violet held out her fist, gesturing for him to bump it with his own. He did so, and at the end of the fist bump, Violet held on to Josh's paw. He sensed her need for reassurance and said,

"Pretend to keep it strictly professional if it helps,"

"I'll try." she exited the car, and Josh quickly followed.

Violet took a deep breath, as she stood in front of the double doors with POLICE in big letters hanging above it. She looked at Josh, he smiled at her,

She nodded and pushed open the door.


	2. Chapter 2

Instinctively, both of them straightened their postures, Violet and Josh perked their ears up, as well, to complete the appearance.

Violet quickly approached Clawhauser.

"Hello!" she greeted.

"Huh?" the cheetah looked around, oblivious to the smaller form of Violet in front of him.

"Uh. Hello! Down here."

"Judy, you look different today,"

"Actually-"

"You look taller and darker, where did you get that scar-"

"Excuse me, sir, my name is actually Violet Hopps, Agent Hopps, in fact," Violet flashed her badge at him, "and this is Agent Grey, could you please direct us to Chief Bogo's office?"

"O-M-Goodness, I am so sorry!"

"It's okay, officer. Directions, perhaps?"

"Yes! Yes! Okay, so just go upstairs and take a left, you're so cute!"

Violet flinched when she heard the "c-word".

She decided to ignore it "Thank you kindly, sir."

Josh gave Benjamin Clawhauser a friendly smile, before following Violet, who was already on the stairs waiting for him. The two walked up the stairs and turned right as they were told. Until, they stopped at a door. Josh quietly knocked on the door and said in a professional voice,

"Bogo, this is Agent Hopps and Agent Grey, we are here to discuss the "Lagomorph Murders Case" with you."

The door opened, and suddenly a cape buffalo, in a navy blue police's uniform, loomed over them.

"Hello, sir!"

"Agent Hopps, please call me Bogo, I am not your superior,"

"Yes, si- Bogo."

The two smaller mammals followed Bogo into his office, the door swinging closed behind them.

"Alrighty then, I'm going to assume you already know who you will be collaborating with."

"Wilde, and, o-other, um, Hopps, correct?" Violet questioned

"That is correct,"

"They are fairly new and slightly naive, but you guys have proven to be exceptional agents, so I expect nothing but the best of you four, my sister told me very good things,"

"Thank you,"

"Now if you please follow me into debriefing, I will introduce you to all of my officers,"

Violet hesitated, then Josh answered for her, "Of course, Bogo."

They exited the office as quickly as they entered, and began walking to the 'bullpen'.

As they entered, all of the animals in the room we're pounding on the tables yelling, growling, and snorting.

"Quiet."

"I said nothing, sir, I am completely utterly innocent, here. "

"Shut your trap, Wilde. "

"I would, Chief, I really would, but I don't think It's biologically possible to have a body part called a trap..."

"Nicholas.."

"Oh my goodness, he knows my name, can I have an autograph?!"

"Keep going and I'll give you traffic duty for a week, fox."

"Okay, okay, I surrender."

"You better."

The room exploded in laughter, Violet guessed this probably a normal occurrence for Nick Wilde and Bogo. _Real Professional._

"I SAID QUIET!"

The whole room went silent, to the cape buffalo's sudden outburst.

"We have company, today."

Everyone began frantically looking around the room for the "guest" to no success.

"Here with us, we have Agents Violet Hopps and Joshua Grey."

"Hello, officers." Violet greeted, everyone's eyes turned to her, avoiding her sister's confused gaze, Violet stared back at all the other officers.

A few 'hi's and 'hello's rang out along with various warm smiles and waves.

"Would you like to say a few words about yourself, and the case?"

Josh nudged Violet. Giving her the "go ahead" look.

"Sure." she caved.

Josh smiled down at her, encouragingly.

Bogo reached a hoof down to her, and cleared his throat, "Do you, need assistance getting onto the podium?" he asked nervously.

In a slightly irritated, embarrassed voice, Violet replied "I think I can handle a podium, Bogo."

A quiet chuckle filled the room once again, fortunately for Violet.

Josh backed up, and after giving a quick glance at Bogo, and the chief did as well, everyone in the room, stood up to see the rabbit, thinking that if she was anything like the Hopps they knew, she wouldn't fail to impress.

All of a sudden, Violet shot up into the air, with a tiny smile tugging at her lips, and bounced of the wall, did a front flip in the air, and landed perfectly on her feet, atop the podium.

An astounding "Woah" came from each and every mammal in the room, except Violet of course. With a few of the officer applauding, lightly, at the small stunt. Josh just smirked.

Violet smiled widely at the reaction, " Quite the hassle to get on a podium if you ask me," she said as she rubbed the imaginary dust of her leggings, "Now, me and my partner here," Violet dared look at her sister, Judy smiled at her, Violet did not reciprocate, struggling to keep her face and voice neutral "will be working with Officers Wilde and Hopps, on a very, um, how do we say, complicated case," Violet continued cautiously.

"There have been murders. Of course you all know that." She took a deep breath "And, well, all of the murder victims have been, of the, lagomorph family."

A few of the mammals in the room gave her a perplexed look, Violet sighed, "They were all rabbits, all of the animals murdered were rabbits." Fangmeyer and Delgato growled, the wolves bared their teeth slightly, Trunkaby gasped and covered her mouth with her trunk, all their eyes darting in between Judy and Violet "Just to get this out of the way, yes me and Officer Hopps, are indeed rabbits, and we will still be on this case. It is not a conflict of interest, it is simply a coincidence, and nothing more. Fourteen rabbits have been found near a bar, downtown in the Nocturnal district, with...with bite marks on their….necks. We believe this may be the new and improved version of the….Night Howler poison, for we have found distinct traces of the flower, but in a different form. This specific kind can make prey just as violent, in fact maybe, more violent than predators, when infected. So," Violet hesitated again.

"Don't worry, I assure you, the ZBI and the ZPD alike, will make sure none of the events will be as severe as last time we dealt with the predecessor of this particular serum. And that is all I can tell you at the moment, for the rest is either unknown or, classified." she folded her hands behind her back at the end of her statement, with her ears and posture held tall, seemingly satisfied with her speech.

Violet jumped off the podium into Josh's arms; a trust exercise they had acquired over the years, a couple of the officers closest to them, including Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde, said their "Awws" as he caught her and placed her on the ground. Josh cleared his throat and turned his head toward the door, as Violet just blushed and stared at her feet.

Once the chief was done handing out assignments the only mammals left in the room were Violet, Judy, Nick and Joshua.

Violet began to shift uncomfortably, until Bogo spoke again.

"Hopps, Wilde, Agents Grey and Hopps will be your superiors, you both were chosen because of your previous experience and success with the Night Howlers case. You will respect them and follow their orders."

Bogo nodded at Violet, she stepped forward as Nick and Judy slid out of their chairs, both Judy and Violet's noses twitching wildly; but for different reasons, Judy with excitement and Violet's with nervousness;. Judy gave Violet a hug, as Violet hesitantly patted Judy's back, so uncomfortable with Judy's closeness, she was clenching her teeth.

"Violet!" Judy squealed

"Nice to see you, Hopps." Violet lied

Judy's confusion returned, "Hopps?" she wondered why Violet didn't call her 'Judes' like she did back in the Burrows.

Violet ignored her question and turned to the fox standing next to her sister, and held out her paw for Nick to shake. "Wilde, I don't believe I've had the pleasure of meeting you before."

"The feelings' mutual, Carrots #2."

"You're going to want to refrain from calling me 'Carrots' Agent Hopps, Violet,- Agent Violet will suffice."

"Okay, well, I'll leave you four alone, to, discuss….things." Bogo turned and swiftly exited the room.

Violet slowly backed up, until she hit Josh, unknowingly she had squished herself into him, something she only did when she was scared or frightened, because this particular fox made her feel incredibly safe. Josh definitely was not complaining, at all.

"Okay, well," Josh started "I guess I'll tell you some back up information, fourteen bunnies have been murdered, obviously, and, w-with, bite marks on their neck in the nocturnal district, hence why, Director Bogo, thought it would be a wise decision to add another duo," he gestured to Nick and himself, "that has a nocturnal mammal, such as Nick and myself. We have a lead that we may pursue sometime soon, but we first must prepare ourselves for this event, for the criminals here seem to have killing down to a science and are fairly persistent."

Judy nodded ''What do we do now?"

"Huh. Welp, I was kinda thinking it would be nice to have like a warm-up or something before we get to the serious stuff, you know? Have a little fun before things get morbid." Violet replied.

"And what may I ask, do you have in mind, Carrots #2?" Nick questioned.


End file.
